The present invention relates to a vaporizer for the sterilization of containers and in particular plastic containers. Such vaporizers are known from the prior art. Usually hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is vaporized within the vaporizer and is guided together with a supplied air flow into a container that is to be sterilized. By virtue of this introduction of the mixture into the container, the internal wall thereof can be cleaned and/or sterilized.
In such vaporizers, however, it is necessary to regulate precisely the quantity of H2O2 that is to be injected or supplied to the container in each case, and to ensure that in each case the same quantity of H2O2 is supplied for each container.
WO 2007/003313 discloses a method and an apparatus for monitoring a vaporizer. In this method, a fluid is applied to a heated heating element and is vaporized, and provided to the side of this vaporizer is a pipeline through which heated and sterile air is introduced into the vaporizer or the housing thereof from the side. The air flow is thus conveyed here perpendicular to the direction of injection of the hydrogen peroxide. This apparatus allows an effective supply of vaporized hydrogen peroxide into the container. Due to the nature of the supply, however, an exact regulation of the precise quantity of hydrogen peroxide is possible only with difficulty.
DE 100 40 861 A1 describes an apparatus for sterilizing packagings using hydrogen peroxide. Here, the hydrogen peroxide is passed over a hot surface in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the carrier gas containing the hydrogen peroxide in mist form is vaporized already at this hot surface. Also in this apparatus, a precise regulation of the supplied quantity of hydrogen peroxide is possible only with difficulty.
EP 0 991 434 B1 discloses a multiple flashpoint vaporizing system. Again, both hydrogen peroxide and a carrier gas are introduced into a vaporizer, wherein the carrier gas here too flows transversely relative to the direction of injection of the hydrogen peroxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,648 describes an apparatus for disinfecting containers. Therefore hydrogen peroxide and, via openings running in parallel, a gas are introduced into a vaporizer. In this apparatus, too, a precise regulation of the mixture passing from the vaporizer into the containers is possible only with difficulty.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a vaporizer which allows a very precise regulation of the hydrogen peroxide/gas mixture exiting therefrom.